Loud in the Silence

Roses? No. Too common. Tulips? Also no. Dahlia! No.

Lio was getting dizzy trying to figure out what flowers to put in a bouquet for Khepri. The little cards on each flower were helpful, but what did he want the bouquet to say? It had to mean something. Longing, affection, love. He was struggling more with this than he did with anything else. Perhaps it was because this was specifically for Khepri and not with everyone in mind.

Plumerias, hibiscus, dianthus?

Not only did the flowers have to mean what he was trying to say, they also had to look nice in the bouquet. Surely, the florist would be able to make it look nice with whatever he chose, right?

Okay. Trying again. He looked at the roses. They may have been stereotypical, but was that not what romance was? Red roses meant love, romance, and desire. Next to them were pink roses. “Admiration, gratitude, and appreciation…oh no.” Not only did the flowers themselves mean something, but so did the colours. He was in for it now. He had hoped to get flowers that reminded him of Khepri or… Khepri of him. This was quickly turning into a disaster, and he wasn’t sure how to salvage it.

He looked at more cards. Pink roses were the same as red ones unless they were slightly paler pink in which they meant innocence and happiness. White ones—also innocence and loyalty. He moved on from roses.

Carnations were next. Pink—motherly love and fondness—absolutely not. White—good wishes. Red—passionate love and affection.

He frowned. This was going to take a lot more time than he thought it would. Lio wasn’t sure how long he was at the florist or how many times he circled the store. He’d practically read all the cards at least four times. Whenever he thought he had it, he’d find another mismatched flower in the bouquet and start again. He never thought this would be an issue. ‘Just buy a premade bouquet!’ he thought to himself at least twice but couldn’t bring himself to do so. This was special. It had to be done by hand; otherwise, what was the point?

After hours—literal hours—Lio finally looked at the bouquet he held in his hands. Orange tulip—excitement and enthusiasm. Yellow acacia—concealed love. Primrose—love and optimism. Yellow tulips—sunshine and happiness. Mallows—love and protection. Finally, Mayflowers—new beginnings. The bouquet was a mix of orange, yellow, purple, and white. He wasn’t sure how much he liked it, but it wasn’t for him; it was for Khepri.

Once purchased, he returned home with his gift. It wasn’t difficult to locate the intended giftee. Khepri was typically in his room or one of the lounges. This time, he was in the former. Lio announced his presence with a “Hey Khep” and made his way over, bouquet awkwardly hidden behind his back. “I got you something.”

Khepri looked at him and then glanced at where he was hiding the flowers. “Okay,” he said, a smile growing on his face. He sat up from where he was lounging on his bed, his ears trailing after him. “You’re not hiding it very well.”

Lio chuckled. “It’s hard to hold,” he admitted, “but it’s Matentines, and I thought maybe—”

“I’ll be your Matentine?” Lio nodded in response. “I’ll be happy to be your Matentine,” Khepri said. He sat eagerly on the edge of the bed.

“I tried to pick out ones I thought you’d like, and then I was told that they each had meanings. It’s been a struggle.” He was a little embarrassed to say it out loud, but hey, he couldn’t be good at everything.

“What do each of them mean?” Khepri asked, and Lio was glad he kept the cards.

“Well,” he said, pulling the bouquet from behind his back. He watched how Khepri’s eyes lit up and smiled. “Orange tulips mean excitement and enthusiasm. These yellow ones here, acacias, mean concealed love—not that we’re purposefully trying to hide anything, of course.”

“Of course,” Khepri giggled.

“Uhm, these ones here, primroses mean…” Lio paused and swallowed nervously, “Optimism and…love.” He kept his eyes on the flowers and didn’t look at Khepri. “The yellow tulips are for sunshine and happiness, and mallows are also protection and… love.” He still didn’t look at Khepri. “These ones here are mayflowers; they mean new beginnings.”

“Lio,” Khepri said, taking hold of Lio’s face gently, “what did those other ones mean again? The primroses and mallows?”

Lio didn’t think he’d been so nervous in his entire life. Not once.  “Th-they mean love.” Fuck. He was stuttering now? There was no way.

“I like those,” Khepri said. He took the bouquet from Lio, pulled some primroses and mallows out, and twisted the stems together. He carefully tucked the flowers into Lio’s hair just above his ear and smiled. “Does it need to be said?”

“I think…” Lio knelt on his knees and placed his hands on either side of Khepri on the bed. He leaned in close. “Khepri, I—” He didn’t get to speak as Khepri rushed forward, hands caressing Lio’s face as he kissed him.

When Khepri pulled away, he was smiling. “Me too,” he said. “Me too.”

Lio stood from his position, coaxing Khepri to his back as he moved forward, lips pressed together. The flowers were forgotten as they lost themselves to one another, hardly pulling apart to breathe. The flowers in Lio’s hair stayed while the others eventually found their way to the floor. It was hours later that they finally climbed out of their lust, naked and tired.

“How long will we leave this unsaid?” Lio asked, propping himself on his elbow, his other arm draped over Khepri’s hip.

“It’s already been said,” Khepri replied. “It was so loud; how could you not hear it with those perky ears of yours?”

Lio smiled. “Was it?”

Khepri nodded. “Mhm,” he hummed, “Do you want to hear it again?”

“I do.”

“All right,” Khepri said. He smiled again and surged forward, knocking Lio onto his back as he kissed him.

It was another few minutes before they parted again. “Did you hear it that time?”

“I did,” Lio replied, “loud and clear.”

“Thanks for the flowers, by the way.”

Lio chuckled. “Of course.”